Opinion Required from those who know more about this than me

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Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 2:01 am

Hey guys, in my English class we're doing "Crime Ficiton" and I'm in need of a crime short story that I can churn out in an hour in the exam. So this made me think of 419 baiting. I have an idea where instead of the traditional detective, we have a guy who's dad gets scammed and finds the police can't do anything, so he decides to take it into his own hands, writing to the scammer as a female, trying get the lad to reveal information about himself. After he gets info such as a name, photograph etc he gets him to meet "her" at lagos airport where she will come to visit him to complete the deal - at which point the detective forwards all the details to the EFCC in Nigeria, as well as the info that he will be at the airport at this time - leaving the ball in their court now.

Obviously it's not entirely realistic, seeing as it's much harder to get a lad arrested (although I recall one bait where he was arrested for wandering the streets while on safari Laughing

) But I was wondering if there was anything I could add to it to make it seem more realistic - such as how likely a lad is to reveal real info and under what circumstances.

Although I've been doing a few baits myself, I'm still very much a novice, but am learning (I got my first K7 voicemail today Razz

) And as such, any info that would help me to stick in wouldn't hurt.

Thanks in advance Smile

Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 2:37 am

If "she" can get real info about the Lad... not likely. Those guys scam safe (in a manner of speaking).

And I have this vision of the EFCC guys at the airport pulling off their own scam... or being fake cops.

Hellish Taskmaster Joined: 31 Dec 2008 Posts: 537

You could have the detective pretend to be a scammer, and have the lad meet the "oga" at the airport where he is arrested.

Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 2:55 am

As Yastreb pointed out, getting real life info from a scammer is near impossible, it has been done, but that was a rare and rather gullible lad.

Your story line is good, for anyone not involved in baiting it would probably sound plausible.

ThankingArthur wrote:

he decides to take it into his own hands, writing to the scammer as a female, trying get the lad to reveal information about himself.

Time is the factor in that scenario, Changing a scam into a romance isn't as easy as it looks, again, it has been done, but the lads are more interested in the quick $, not a long involved scenario.

I'd say go for it, it's only a story, and you have the basics covered, and who said it had to be strictly realistic? You could put it so that your vic travels to Lagos and gets murdered, which would sound more plausible and be closer to the truth.

Have fun and good luck:)

Not quite a Newb Joined: 08 Oct 2009 Posts: 58

irishemigrant wrote:

You could put it so that your vic travels to Lagos and gets murdered, which would sound more plausible and be closer to the truth.

Or maybe he goes to the meeting, knowing what he is up against... but has the upper hand since the lad doesn't realize that the vic caught on.

Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 8:01 am

Quote:

Obviously it's not entirely realistic

Almost no crime fiction is, so there's no problem there.
From our point of view, anything that mentions 419 is fine.

Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 8:36 am

Plot outline:

1. Our Hero's silver-haired grannie gets scammed.

2. OH turns baiter and starts baiting scammer

3. OH manages to get scammer on a safari.

4. Scammer brings along a 'friend' or 2 to rob the baiter

5. Baiter turns up at airport, baiter turns out to be Arnold Swarzengger, lots of guns, shooting, explosions, helicopter gunships, aliens, nukes...

I reckon there's a film in there somewhere!

Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 8:59 am

why not turn it round completely and write it from the scammers point of view, preparing/buying scripts, mass mailing scripts weaving a web of lies and deceits, daily trudge to the cafe full of hope that today will be THE day, wasted journeys to MG, dolla chopped
Think of what you would throw at them in a bait and how they would need to react

in the end have them

a) arrested
b) turn over a new leaf
c) sell their granny

Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 6:49 pm

You could write from two perspectives:
Part 1
The characters backgrounds; the scammer and his life as a scammer
Part 2
The revenge.

Part 1:
Introduce the all the main characters
describe the scammers background, his attempts at scamming, his [many] failures, his pay-offs and maybe his frustration at having his time wasted! Cool

Then he gets lucky on your characters father (concentrate on just what a thoroughly nasty type he is (scammer, not the father!) and how low he'll stoop to scam).

Part 2:
How the revenge is plotted, the storyline used to bait the scammer (plenty of material in here!) then the 'meet' with not just your central charater but also 2 of his friends. (you really wouldn't want to go to Ladland alone...)
Scammer shows, realises it's a sting at the last minute and makes a run for it.
Cue chase through streets of [insert ficticious city here] (car, foot, motorcycle - you choose Wink

The capture and the handing into the police with the evidence
(ok, ok, that bit would get most baiters on the floor wetting themselves with laughter, but still....)
As for the ending...
Well...
Good: scammer is led off by police / court case and prison
Bad: As Our Hero is at the airport waiting to depart cut back to the scammer paying off police and being released...

Caveats:
1. I think your story should be set in a ficticious city - not all those who inhabit Lagos are scammers; let the reader fill in their own bias on that one.
2. Try not to make sound too easy - we don't want a real-life victim copying the story!! Rolling Eyes

Good luck

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